China vows countermeasures if EU enacts ‘Made in Europe’ plan
Beijing slammed on today an EU plan aimed to bolster the bloc's industries against fierce competition from China, vowing countermeasures if it is enacted.
Economy
Latest reporting and analysis on economy.
Poland to take EU Mercosur trade deal to the ECJ
Poland has announced plans to file a legal challenge at the European Court of Justice (ECJ) against the European Union’s trade agreement with South America.
Poland’s budget deficit continues to rocket, now second-highest in EU
Poland has recorded the European Union’s second-largest budget deficit when compared with the size of its economy, raising fresh concerns over the country’s…
Trump threatens UK with ‘big tariff’ over digital services tax
US President Donald Trump has warned Britain that he will impose a “big tariff” on the United Kingdom unless it scraps its Digital Services Tax, which he says…
EU signs €20 billion ‘green’ fund for developing world as European households show growing uncertainty
The European Union and several development finance institutions have signed a new fund designed to channel up to €20 billion in private capital into sustainable…
German Government denies it misspent 95 per cent of record investment package
Germany’s finance ministry has countered claims by leading economists who accused the government of having misspent most of a debt-financed “special fund”…
Belgium’s sovereign wealth funds invests in the arms sector
Belgium is making a strategic shift by investing public money into the defence industry, marking what officials describe as a “historic turning point”.
EU-Funded EV charger appears in Romanian meadow: No road, no cars
More than €100,000 of European Union money has been spent on an electric vehicle charging station that currently sits in the middle of a meadow with no access…
Investments in nuclear weapons production surge: study
Financial institutions are increasing their investments in atomic weapons production, anti-nuclear campaigners said Friday, warning the trend risked fuelling already…
Former Polish PM Morawiecki calls for ‘economic NATO’ to keep US in Europe
Mateusz Morawiecki, who was Polish prime minister in the last Conservative (PiS government between 2017 and 2023, has called for the building of a strong economic…
Russian billionaires see wealth grow by 11 per cent despite war and sanctions
Russian billionaires saw their collective wealth rise by 11 per cent to a record $696.5 billion (€595.31 billion) over the past year, according to Forbes Russia.
Climate protection should not harm economy, says Merz
EC uses Iran crisis to double-down on renewable energy
The European Commission is using the fallout from the US-Iran conflict to reinforce its push toward renewable and electrified energy systems, even as several european…
German growth forecast cut in half by Iran war woes
The German economics ministry has significantly lowered its growth outlook for Europe’s largest economy, halving its forecast for 2026 and also revising up inflation…
EU holds first summit without Orbán as Zelensky joins leaders in Cyprus
European Union leaders have gathered in Nicosia for an informal summit that marks a historic shift in EU politics: for the first time in 16 years, Hungary's Viktor…
EU eyes US jet fuel imports as Middle East disruption bites
European transport ministers have met in emergency session to discuss options for importing jet fuel from the United States and other alternative suppliers, as disruptions…
No Orbán, no problem: Ukraine restarts Druzhba pipeline, EU preliminary approves €90bn loan
The European Union preliminary approved a €90 billion loan to Ukraine after Hungary signalled it would lift its long-standing veto as oil started flowing through…
Russia to cut flow of Kazakh oil to Germany
Russia will stop the transfer of crude oil from Kazakhstan to a major German refinery via the Druzhba pipeline in May, 2026.
Romania nears OECD membership but its deficit is unwelcome in a club built on borrowed money
Romania has completed 24 of the 25 committee reviews required to join the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). One hurdle remains.
Lufthansa cancels 20,000 flights over fuel price hikes and strikes
Germany’s flagship carrier Lufthansa is set to cut 20,000 flights in the coming months to save on jet fuel and deal with additional costs from airline staff strikes.
EC proposes full revival of EU-Syria co-operation agreement
Von der Leyen travelled to Damascus in January, alongside European Council President António Costa.
‘Will not suffice to maintain standard of living’: Germany’s Merz urges pension reform
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (Christian Democratic Union, CDU) has spoken out in favour of far-reaching reforms of the country’s creaking public pension system.
EC energy chief warns of ‘pretty tough’ summer ‘as Iran war drives up prices’
Jørgensen cautioned that air travel would become more expensive and that, in some cases, the bloc could even see flight cancellations as carriers struggle with…
‘Build Chinese cars in Volkswagen plants,’ says Lower Saxony’s PM
The Minister-President of Lower Saxony has suggested that Volkswagen should consider allowing Chinese manufacturers to produce vehicles in underutilised German plants…
French energy giant Engie HQ searched in fresh twist to Dati EP alleged corruption probe
French anti-corruption police have searched the headquarters of energy group Engie, formerly GDF Suez, as part of an ongoing investigation into suspicions that the…
Lead by example: Suspend Strasbourg EP sessions and save fuel by staying in Brussels, say Dutch MEPs
A cross-party group of four Dutch MEPs has written to European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, calling for an immediate temporary end to the monthly relocation…
German airlines demand government step in to avert looming kerosene crisis
Germany’s airlines and airports are sounding the alarm as dwindling jet fuel stocks threaten to cause a collapse in air travel in the coming months.
Slovakia to block EU sanctions against Russia unless Druzhba pipeline reopened
Slovakia is ready block a new package of European Union sanction against Russia.
Wizz Air says had problems with jet fuel supply in Italy
Hungarian low-cost airline Wizz Air has encountered some jet fuel shortages at three airports in Italy, its chief executive said Friday, following warnings about…
France backpedals and cancels low-emission zones for cars
The French Senate has voted to abolish low vehicle-emissions zones (Zones à Faibles Émissions – ZFE), marking a significant reversal of a flagship green policy…